


for she had eyes and chose me

by scarlettesmith



Category: Beauty and the Beast (1991), Beauty and the Beast (2017), Disney - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Interconnected chapters, i'm so whipped for this film, is mostly based off of the 2017 film but can def be applied to the 1991 release
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-23
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-09 13:24:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10413147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scarlettesmith/pseuds/scarlettesmith
Summary: a series of interconnected chapters detailing the evolution of belle and adam's relationship over the course of their life together





	1. Introduction

“And just this one thing. . . Perfect!” Plumette said, hooking a necklace around Belle’s pale skin, “We are done! Oh, Belle, you look beautiful!”

Belle cast her gaze to the mirror, examining her reflection from head to toe. She was in a pale blue gown, reminiscent of what she was wearing when she’d first stepped into the castle that fateful day. The fabric circle around her shoulders and stretched down to the very tips of her toes, which were clad in delicate blue heels. A very heavy, sapphire speckled necklace sat at the base of her neck, matching the earrings that dangled inches above her shoulders. Her brown hair was pulled up into an intricate updo, a few curled strands framing her freshly powdered face. Thankfully, she’d been able to fight off any more makeup than absolutely necessary, allowing only the smallest amount of powder on her face, for the sake of trend. She looked . . . actually pretty good. She’d been nervous about allowing Plumette to dress her but the other woman had actually done quite a good job dressing Belle for court but letting her keep her own style and sense of self. 

“And it’s all thanks to you,” Belle answered, turning and offering Plumette a smile, “Thank you, truly. I’m not familiar with this . . . society and its expectations,” At that, she wrung her hands somewhat nervously, resisting the urge to play with the hem of her skirt, “I really do appreciate the help.” 

Catching sight of Belle’s tinkering hands, Plumette offered a small grin and said, “You’re welcome and do not worry, I’m sure you will be fine,” Bringing her hands together, she said, “Now, I do hate to run off like this but I must tell the prince that you are ready so you two can make your entrance together. Is there anything else you need?”

Belle shook her head, “No, thank you. I’ll let you know if anything comes to mind.”

With a smile, Plumette turned and left the room, leaving Belle somewhat anxious and very uncertain as she waited for the prince, her prince. The thought brought a small, secret smile to her face. 

Tonight was her formal introduction to court and Adam’s re-inductment. It had been a month and a half since the curse was broken and this event loomed over the castle for all that time. Tonight was different than the small celebration that had been held with the castle’s servants and the villagers after the curse had been broken. Tonight was her first night commiserating with all of the dukes, barons, and duchesses. It was her first time in a higher court and, even though she’d visited the high courts of the Milanese, Austrians, and Prussians in her books, she had the sinking feeling that the real life French court would be much different. She wanted to do well, not for herself, but for Adam. This was his world. She wanted to at least be able to navigate it. 

There was a knock at the door and then a, “Belle? May I come in?”

She took a deep breath and turned, smiling at the sound of his voice, “Come in!”

The door swung open and suddenly Adam was in the foyer of the west wing. He was wearing a dark blue suit, with silver embroidery, similar to the one he wore as the Beast. There was an expression of annoyance on his face that dissipated the second he laid eyes on Belle. His lips tugged up into a rare smile as he took towards her.

“You look like a vision.” The former Beast complemented, reaching for her hand and laying a delicate kiss on it.

Any trace of anxiety left when she saw him. Flipping her hand so that it was cupping his face, she beckoned him up to her level and gently kissed him, “You are far too kind.”

His lips lingered on hers for a moment before he pulled away and teased, “Would you prefer a harsher disposition?” He paused for a moment and looked her over, adding, “Why, Miss Belle, I’m afraid that I… do not like your shoes! You must have them changed at once.”

His comment drew a laugh from her, who had been wound up only a few moments prior, “My shoes? What about your shoes??” 

“Now we’ve crossed a line,” He said it in such a gravely serious tone that it elicited another laugh from her. The sound of it softened his face, “Are you ready for tonight? We’re due to make our grand entrance soon.” His fingers mingled with hers as he spoke, thumb stroking hers. 

Belle could feel her stomach sink. The ball, “Ah, yes, that,” Her gaze dropped from his for a second, “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.”

The Prince’s brows furrowed at the hesitation in her voice, “You sound less than enthused.”

“No, no, it’s not that. I’m excited, I am,” It was a ball. It was something different, the exact opposite of the small town. It was a new adventure and she was excited to embark on it but this adventure had a stake it, the most important one: Adam, “I’m just nervous. I’ve never done this, never been in court, and this is your world. I don’t want to mess up.”

A knowing look made it’s way across his face. Once again, he leaned down and presented her with a small kiss, “You are my world. They are simply a place I once existed in, nothing more,” He offered, “Besides, I will be at your side, or near it, all night to assist you if the need may arise, although I doubt it will. Court is not that hard to navigate and I’m sure you will find your way splendidly. You’ll charm them all with your smile and enthrall them with your knowledge, as you did me.” 

That made her feel better, much more at ease than she had been a few moments prior. He was right, she’d find her way, she always did. Besides, what were a few aristocrats compared to a years long enchantment?

“Thank you,” She offered, offering him another kind smile, “I feel much better now. If only it weren’t for my shoes.” She joked, the smile turning into a teasing one.

“I believe that you already established that my shoes are the problem here,” Adam responded, offering her his arm, “Shall we?”

Belle glanced at the door, concealing the hoard of aristocrats and servants behind it. This time, however, it wasn’t anxiety she felt, but an all too obtuse sense of exhilaration. An adventure, tonight would be an adventure. 

Linking her arm through his, she prepared her brightest smile and said, “We shall.”


	2. Ridiculous

Adam knew that he couldn’t expect the lifestyles of him and his Belle to be the same. After all, he grew up in a palace and she in a tiny village but, every now and then, the discrepancies between them astounded him. He needed at least three servants with him in the morning to help him get dressed and an entire kitchen to prepare and anticipate his next meal. Apparently, she needed none of that. From what he understood, she rose and dressed by herself and, occasionally, he’d catch her in the kitchens with the servants, covered in flour or chasing the newly human Chip. 

It had been hard to wrap his mind around at first but he’d gotten gradually used to it or, at least, he thought he had until one morning, he found her just outside the gardens, hanging laundry. 

He peered at her for a second, aghast by the sight in front of him, “What are you doing?”

Belle jumped, startled by his voice, “Oh, it’s just you,” She returned to pinning the clothes, most of which looked like the servant’s garb, “Nothing. I’m just finishing up some laundry. I’m sure Mrs. Potts is too busy restoring the castle to do her own.”

He was speechless. They may not have been married but, for all intents and purposes, Belle was a princess. Princesses did not do laundry for their servants, “Belle . . . I. . . They . . . You do not have to do this! We have an entire staff that are ---” 

“That have their own lives,” She said, jumping and struggling to reach the laundry line the further down she got, “Mrs. Potts has a husband and child. Cogsworth has a wife he is constantly avoiding, Lumiere and Plumette are planning a wedding, for heaven's sake. They do everything for us, we should do something for them.”

“That’s ridiculous. They work for us and they . . .” He paused, watching Belle as she climbed onto a particularly wobbly column to reach the highest bit of rope, “As I was saying, they. . .” The marble beneath her feet began to shake and his speech suddenly became unimportant, “Let me do that,” He added, his hands snaking around her waist and setting her on the ground. He took the shirt she had been trying to hang and clipped it onto the line with ease. When he was done, she took a step forward, intending to continue hanging the clothes on the higher end of the line but all he could see was her falling. Instinctively, his hand reached out to stop her, “No, no, I can do that. Hand me the clothes.”

There was a knowing look on her face as she watched Adam clip shirts, pants, and dresses onto the laundry line. She watched him work for a few minutes before raising an eyebrow and saying, “And what is so ridiculous about helping the servants with laundry?”

“What?” He seemed momentarily confused until he looked at the pair of pants in his hand and remembered what he was in the middle of, “Oh! Well . . .” He sighed in defeat and gave her a look, “Perhaps . . . it’s not as ridiculous as I thought. They’ve done so much for me. I suppose helping them in return isn’t completely absurd.” 

A particularly large grin made it’s way across her face. She took a few steps and wrapped her arms around him from behind, resting her head on the back of his shoulder. Her hand lay above his heart, drumming against her hand. A soft, secret smile made it’s way across his face. He moved his hand so that it lay over hers. Even without his colossal paws, his hands were still much larger than her petite ones. 

“You have such a big heart.” Belle mused quietly, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. 

“Debateable,” His smile crumbled into a stern look, “There are many people who would disagree with you, myself included.”

“That’s because they can’t see it, not yet,” She responded quietly, “I can. I always will.”

The smile from earlier made its way across his face and, even though Belle couldn’t catch sight of it, she could tell that, in that moment, he was happy. She nestled into his shoulder and, for a second, she was tempted to tell him that she loved him, but she knew that he could sense her adoration the same way she could feel his joy. No words were needed, no extreme expressions of love, for that moment was enough.


	3. Visit

The cobblestone clicked under Belle’s feet as she walked down the village street, her arm threaded through Adam’s. The sun was bright, illuminating the path in front of them splendidly. It would have been perfect, an early morning stroll with her favorite person, had it not included the many armed guards guiding them, the sword on the prince’s hip, and the lines of angry villagers on either side. 

“This feels like less of a village visit,” Belle murmured as a guard rushed them over a bumpy patch, “And more like a very armed, very dangerous stroll.”

Beside her, she could feel Adam’s stiffen at her words. He’d been very tense about their visit since she’d brought up the idea a few days ago and, in all honesty, she couldn’t quite blame him. Her father and Cogsworth had been filling her in on how much Adam used to tax the surrounding villages and the consequences of that action. People had taken second and third jobs and even worked themselves to death to pay the high tolls. It didn’t help that there was still a lot of negative sentiment towards the royals left over from the revolution. The idea in itself was disconcerting but seeing it happen with her own eyes only served to sadden her. Her prince was a changed man now and she knew that the villagers would stop shooting them glares if only they knew that. 

“I didn’t think it would be wise for us to walk through here unaccompanied or unarmed. They are not too fond of me here, especially in this particular village,” He explained, “They were closest to the castle so I’m afraid that meant that their taxes were the highest,” There was a sharp look of guilt in his eyes. It made Belle’s throat tighten, “I would hate myself too if I were in their place.”

“But you’re not that man anymore,” She reminded him, threading her fingers through his, “You haven’t been that man for a long time.”

“Not since I met you,” He looked over at her and pressed a kiss to the top of her head, “You know me as the person I am now but they know me as a selfish, vain prince. There is years of damage and hurt in the streets we’re walking through. Little can be done to change that.”

Belle frowned, not liking the idea of the villagers forever seeing Adam as an uncaring, narcissistic man when he had become anything but, “Show them who you are now.”

“Yes,” He hummed, “But how?”

She pursed her lips together and thought for a moment, “We’re here for a visit, right? So let’s visit them,” She glanced at the guards around them, “But without the armed escorts and the weapons. Present yourself to them as another human being, not their prince--”

“Belle, that’s way too dangerous. Anyone here would give their right arm to attack--”

“Maybe they would right now but that’s because they don’t know you,” He made a face but no further motion to interrupt her, “If you continue being the aloof prince, the public image of your former self could continue to live but if you interact with them, if you show them you’ve changed, I guarantee you that their view of you will as well,” When he stayed quiet, she added, “If it helps, I’ll stay with you the entire time.”

He was quiet for a moment before asking, “I can’t keep my sword?”

“No.”

“But it makes me look so ---”

“No.”

He sighed and reluctantly pulled his weapon out of it’s harness, handing it to a nearby guard, “I agree but on one condition.”

“And what’s that?” 

From the sleeve of his shirt, he pulled out a small dagger and handed it to her, “Keep this on you,” When she made a move to protest, he quickly added, “They’re angry with me and anger oftentimes blinds people. They might project onto you. I can go unarmed but I don’t want you to.”

“I don’t know,” She said hesitantly, “I feel like this is unnecessary.”

“Belle,” The desperation in his voice forced her to meet his eyes, “I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you. Take it, please.”

The pleading look on his face convinced her. She took the dagger and slid it into the bag at her side. He seemed to relax a little and pressed one small, hidden kiss to her forehead before ordering the guards away. As they descended into the crowd, the looks of disdain on the villagers face changed into ones of confusion, bewilderment, and eventually acceptance. She offered a kind smile to a few who caught her eye and was surprised to receive grins in return. Maybe things between the villagers and Adam weren’t nearly as bad as they thought. 

“So, now that the guards are gone,” Adam began, giving a few waves to a group of schoolchildren, “Where to first?”

“Where else?” She asked, giving him a little wink,“The library.”


	4. Scared

“And that?” Belle asked, pointing towards a looming portrait of a glaring older man, “Who is that?”

Adam cringed, “My Uncle Amaud, father’s brother. A very terrifying, unpleasant man. He stole chocolates from me when I was only five, said that I made up him taking them to win my father’s favor,” He shuddered at the memory, “I don’t think I ever really stopped fearing him after that.”

“I don’t blame you,” She couldn’t help but laugh at the idea of Adam cowering from anyone, “What a bitter old man.”

“He doesn’t even begin to cover bitter,” He responded, laughter rising in his voice as he directed her toward another looming mans painting, “This is my great-great uncle. He died before I turned seven but I had nightmares about him until I was fourteen.”

Another round of laughter made it’s way from her as they moved down the hall. Belle had spent most of the day exploring the castle, although most of her exploring had wound up being aimless wandering until Adam had found her in one of the cellars and helped give her some direction. He knew his way around the castle and could guide her to anyone part that her heart desired. While it was nice to have a sort of escort, especially in a fortress as large as this one, she was having more fun listening to his childhood stories than actually looking around the castles. She liked knowing who his scariest relatives were, where he hit his head dancing when he was nine, or the rooms he would lock himself in when he ditched lessons. She liked knowing more about him. Even though they had drifted infinitely closer over the past few months, there was still so much she had to learn about him, and him about her and so she liked this. She liked knowing him. 

“What about you?” He asked, moving with her as she made her way down the hall, “Any terrifying relatives?”

“Not unless you find my father a scary man,” She answered as she observed the paintings. They were all frightening older men, painted in dark greys and charcoals. She remembered the specks of color in Adam’s own torn portrait and let out an inaudible sigh of relief. Out of the corner of her eye, a flash of bright red caught her attention. She turned her head and came upon a sketch of a frail faced woman holding a blonde baby. Her husband stood next to her and, although the artist captured the hard lines in his face accordingly, there was a look of adoration in his eyes as he watched the woman. Adam’s gaze turned to find whatever Belle was looking at and the moment she saw the look on his face transform from one of happiness to one of mourning, she knew. Catching the way his eyes lingered on the woman and the almost invisible way his hands began to shake, she slipped her fingers through his and asked, “Is that your mother?”

He swallowed, “Yes, and my father,” There was a far off look in his eyes that Belle didn’t quite recognize, “She died when I was young. Influenza. Mother was always prone to getting sick.” His hand gripped her tightly and it was then that she knew he needed her.

Belle kissed his shoulder and lay her head on it, “What was she like?”

A sad smile tugged at the corner of his lips, “Kind. Very kind. She and you are the only bright lights to have ever lived in this castle. My father and her were exact opposites but, somehow, he loved her. She was probably the only thing he ever loved and when she died. . .” He trailed off, staring at anywhere but his father’s eyes.

“And when she died?”

“Any kindness he might have possessed died with her,” Adam shut his eyes and wrapped his arms around Belle, pulling her to his side, “I don’t want to be like he was, cold and uncaring.”

“Hey,” She turned to face him, cupping his face with her hands to gather his attention, “You’re not.” 

“But I was,” He answered, “I was and I don’t want to be that person again.”

Her thumb brushed over his cheek and she wished that she could brush any doubt or insecurity off as well. She brought her lips to meet his, kissing him gently, “You won’t be. You have so much warmth in your heart,” Her hand came to rest over the spot it beat, feeling the steady drumming against her palm, “I see it everyday.”

The melancholy within him evaporated at her words, the sad smile from earlier turning into an elated grin. His lips brushed against her forehead, “You are the most wonderful thing to happen to me.”

“And you to me,” She responded, wrapping her arms around him. They were like that for a few moment, quietly holding each other before she added, “Do you suppose we can move on from this hall? It’s got beautiful art but all of these eyes on us are a little unnerving.”

Adam chuckled, “Yes, I do have to agree that standing before my stern relatives makes me a little nervous,” He pulled away and offered her his hand, the both of them headed for the exit side by side, “Let’s go visit the armory. I have a feeling that may interest you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! First of all, I would just like to thank you for the kudos and all of the support! It really does mean the world to me and keeps me going when I want to slack off on this story for a night. Thank you for the motivation. :)
> 
> Second of all, I do have some announcements I would like to make.   
> I have just returned to school for spring break and, since it's the last month of the semester, I'm probably going to get hit with schoolwork very soon so updates may slow down but don't worry! Since most chapters are short, I'm going to try to get out 3-4 per week, depending on my courseload. 
> 
> I'd also just like to take a minute to clear some questions I've received about plot up as well! This is less of a plot driven story and more of a tale of the development of the relationship between Belle and Adam over the course of their life together. I'm not sure how long it will be but I do have a definitely beginning, middle, and end. There will be fluff, danger, subplots, and everything. I hope you've been enjoying it so far!


	5. Sleep

The early morning sun shone through the overwhelmingly large library windows, throwing light over the rows and rows of books. It was early, far too early for Adam to be out and about, but his night had been a mostly sleepless one so he’d elected to stop tossing and turning in bed and get up as soon as the sun began to come out. Taking a cue from Belle’s independent nature, he’d decided to dress by himself (which ended up taking a pathetically long amount of time) and get a headstart on his work for today. Lord knew that there were too many anxious royals demanding a response, not to mention the ever pressing church, and local issues like implementing a fair taxation system, fixing complaints, and just quelling villagers worries about him. The thought of all he had to do exhausted him and he was grateful for the sleepless night and the early start it granted him. 

The west wing was still far too melancholic to get any real work done so he took his stack of papers to the library, longing for the comforting smell of books and the cheerful disposition it brought on. It set in the moment he walked into the library. He let the positive atmosphere wash over him, hoping it might enable him to get through a stack of work before breakfast was served. 

However, all thoughts of work left him as he found his way towards the center desk. Instead of finding an empty tabletop, there was Belle, completely passed out on top of the wooden service. Her hair was down and spread out, each lock fanning across the desk. He could hear her breaths, coming out in soft little puffs. There was a neat stack of books near her head and one tightly clutched in her right hand. 

For a moment, he was completely lost at the sight of her. How she managed to still be so breathtaking even while asleep evaded him. He watched her for a minute before taking in the uncomfortable slump she was in. Her back would ache for the next few days if he didn’t find her a comfortable place to sleep soon but where? Taking her to her bedroom would be completely inappropriate, not to mention that Mrs. Potts and Cogsworth would surely have a heart attack if they knew that the two had been in there alone. . . Letting her sleep in his bed would be equally as scandalous . . . Perhaps . . . There were a few sofas in the library, mostly used for lounging, but surely they would do, at least they would be more comfortable than a desk. 

Not wanting to disturb her, he gently wrapped one arm around her shoulders and another at her knees before lifting her from the chair. Her palm lay against his chest, forehead tucked neatly into his shoulder. He could feel her hot breaths against the skin of his collarbone. The sight of her so at peace brought a smile to his face. Belle spent so much time fighting. He loved the fire within her but he often worried that she didn’t take enough time to let herself be. It was just as nice to see that fire at rest. 

He was careful as he found his way to the couch and softly set her on the satin covers. She curled onto her side, hands winding around his even as they let her go. For a moment, she stirred, and he was afraid that he may have woken her, but then her breaths evened out and he felt a strange sort of success at accomplishing his task. 

Unraveling one of his hands from hers, he pushed back the hair from her forehead and gently lay a kiss to it, “Sleep well, my beauty. ” He whispered the words and granted himself another minute of observing before rising and making his way towards the demanding letters on his desk. There was work to be done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I just wanted to say that I know that there are still comments and messages about the story to answer and I will respond by tomorrow! I just got this idea and wanted to get it out before exhaustion overtook me haha. Thanks for all of your support. I had a pretty bad week so it means a lot to me :) 
> 
> Also, I'm working on a BATB theory and I was just wondering: Does anyone know if Adam's father is dead or alive? I may have missed it during the film and I just want to make sure. Thanks!


	6. Promise

“And Italy?” Belle asked, eyes wide with wonder as she watched Adam speak. 

“Italy? Oh, Italy was beautiful,” He responded, remembering the fine paintings and churches he’d seen there, “The art is lovely but I have to say that it’s nothing compared to any of the coasts. The Adriatic, the Mediterranean, the Ionian. They’re all absolutely stunning and the people are very kind,” A smile tugged at the corner of his lip, “And beautiful. You would fit right in.” 

“I wouldn’t want to be there unless you were with me,” She answered, a coy smile on her lips. It quickly deflated into quite the look of longing and she felt the familiar tug, the pull for adventure, “I wish I could go.” 

She knew that she wasn’t confined to the same life she had before. She knew Adam and knew that he would help open a world of possibilities for her. She was no longer the lonely village girl that she had once been and, even so, it was still hard for her to imagine that she had the opportunity to travel, see the world, do more than just be a veteran’s wife. The former thought sent a shiver down her spine. What a terrifying idea.

“Hey,” Adam said, catching her attention, “You will. I promise. We could even go tomorrow! Lumiere! Cogsworth! Please start packing my ---” 

Belle felt a bit of panic build in the pit of her stomach. While seeing Italy did seem lovely, she knew that Adam was up to his ears in work and a trip didn’t seem like the most productive thing, “Adam--”

“We’ll need to access the family vaults immediately,” He rose from his seat and began pacing, talking to himself, “And to get you your own maid. Of course, we’ll need security but, luckily, the guard’s have stopped complaining about their knees rusting so that shouldn’t be ---” 

“Adam!” 

“What?”

She rose from her own seat and crossed over towards him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pressing a delicate kiss to his lips, “I would love to go to Italy but we don’t have to go right this moment. You have work to do here and I have yet to learn the outline of the castle.” 

He frowned, “But you want to go to Italy.”

She kissed him again, “We can go to Italy anytime. I don’t mind staying here for now.”

She wasn’t sure quite why but the most gentle smile made it’s way across his face, “You are really the best thing that ever happened to me or anyone within the castle really.”

“That’s lucky,” Belle reached for his hand, wrapping her fingers around his, “Because you are the best thing that ever happened to me.” 

His lips brushed over her forehead and they were quiet for a moment, “While we may not be able to go to Italy just yet, why don’t we take a look at the language? After all, we must prepare for the trip in some way, right?”

“An afternoon with you and the Italian language sounds lovely,” She took a step back and offered him her hand, “Shall we?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for taking a while to update!! school really took off the past few weeks but it's since slowed down so i should be updating normally again. 
> 
> a few longer chapters will be coming up soon so get ready! i know this one is a little slow but i have a feeling that you guys will enjoy


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